Red Cross honors local heroes

Annual Real Heroes Breakfast held in Lewiston

The American Red Cross of Maine, United Valley Chapter, held its annual Real Heroes Breakfast on Tuesday.

The awards were presented to members of the community who have performed acts of heroism.

Nine heroes were awarded in seven categories.

Military: Jeremy Gilley

Jeremy, an Iraq War veteran, stopped at the scene of a truck accident on Dec. 18, 2011. As he helped the driver get out, a van ran into the truck, pinning Jeremy between the two vehicles and severing his legs. He was able to instruct the two drivers in fashioning a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

Brooke, an emergency room nurse, stopped at the scene of a car accident on Aug. 6, 2012. She found the driver's 5-year-old daughter Danika dangling from her car seat, unconscious and bleeding. Brooke was able to climb into the car and hold Danika's head and chest up to keep her airways clear until and ambulance arrived.

Youth: Amanda Garboski

On Aug. 20, 2012, 17-year-old Amanda was babysitting Eli and Sophia for the first time when the smoke detectors in the house went off. She found smoke pouring into the kitchen and was able to get both children and the family dog out of the house safely before calling 911.

During an exercise class at the Auburn Lewiston YMCA on July 10, 2012, one of the class members had a heart attack. While class instructor Christina directed traffic, calling out instructions to 911 and requesting a portable defibrillator, class members Jennifer and Micky performed CPR. Thanks to their quick work, the heart attack victim is alive today.

Public Safety: Brandon Kelly

Police Officer Brandon Kelly responded to a 911 call on Dec. 15, 2012, to find Doris unconscious on the floor and her husband panic-stricken. She had suffered a diabetic emergency and fallen through a glass wall - and was covered in blood. Brandon applied pressure to Doris's wounds and talked to her, keeping her as alert as possible. Thanks to Brandon, Doris was out of the hospital and back home in time for Christmas.

Blood Services: Chip Keene

Fire department Capt. Chip Keene asked the Red Cross to hold a blood drive at a small community event on the tenth anniversary of September 11. Although the date happened to fall on a Sunday, the Red Cross jumped at the opportunity - and the drive turned into a huge event with what seemed like the entire town of Auburn present! The event, honoring lives lost, also provided 100 units of life-saving blood.

International Outreach: Bill Legere

In an effort to make sense of the loss of their 9-year-old daughter Grace, Bill and his wife Teresa created the Foundation for Hope & Grace as a living memorial to her. Bill has dedicated his life to bringing hope, healing, justice, and compassion to vulnerable and orphaned children. He has made countless journeys to impoverished countries, sharing materials, expertise, and funding to help make hands-on connections between agencies and programs with similar missions. Locally, he has led the effort to bring awareness to human trafficking - the fastest growing crime in the world. Bill is a lead emergency nurse practitioner at Central Maine Medical Center.

Photos: Red Cross Real Heroes Breakfast

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Jared Bechard

The American Red Cross held its annual Real Heroes Breakfast Tuesday morning in Lewiston.